Saints Handle CF Patriots 15-7, Clinch MFC Title
Gainesville, FL – For the third season in a row and the eighth in the 12 years under the direction of Coach Johnny Wiggs, the NJCAA #1 Santa Fe Saints are Mid-Florida Conference champions. SF got it done on Wednesday afternoon against the College of Central Florida, taking down the Patriots 15-7 in seven innings. Combined with a St. John’s River State College loss, SF clinched the title with three games still to play. The win also gives the Saints a season sweep (4-0) over CF.
Gainesville, FL – For the third season in a row and the eighth in the 12 years under the direction of Coach Johnny Wiggs, the NJCAA #1 Santa Fe Saints are Mid-Florida Conference champions. SF got it done on Wednesday afternoon against the College of Central Florida, taking down the Patriots 15-7 in seven innings. Combined with a St. John's River State College loss, SF clinched the title with three games still to play. The win also gives the Saints a season sweep (4-0) over CF.
"I'm proud of the way the guys battled today," said SF Coach Johnny Wiggs. "Our bats have really carried us through this second half of the season and they got it done again today. Devin gave us six good innings and continues to pitch well every time he's called upon."
Santa Fe (37-7, 18-3 MFC) used a six run fifth inning to pull away and turn a 3-3 game into a 9-3 SF advantage. Brock Edge tripled in the first run and Haydn Cano knocked him in with a sacrifice fly. The final four runs of the inning all came with two outs. Jarrett Pico, Mikey Navarrete, Garrett Mathes, and Andrew Eyster had back to back hits to keep the rally going.
An inning later in the sixth, after a home run by the Patriots, Brock Edge and Jarrod Cande hit solo homeruns to make it an 11-4 game.
CF tightened the game in the seventh when Tanner May blasted a three run homerun, their third of the game.
The Saints would not be denied, scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh, including a bases loaded walk off walk to Jarrett Pico after a long at bat to end the game.
Santa Fe had 18 hits in the game as a team. Edge finished a double shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. Mathes was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBI, Cande finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored, and Cade Westbrook had a 3-for-4 day with three runs scored and a RBI.
Devin Hemenway started on the hill and pitched six strong innings to earn the win, improving his record to 6-2.
The MFC Champion Saints will hit the road Friday, April 20 for a game against Seminole State College in Sanford at 3:00 p.m.
For complete schedules, stats, and more information please visit www.santafesaints.com.
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